1. Deploying Oracle Database Exadata Cloud at Customer (Gen 1/OCI-C)
  2. Site Requirements
  3. Ventilation and Cooling

Ventilation and Cooling

Learn about the ventilation and cooling requirements for Exadata Cloud at Customer.

Always provide adequate space in front of and behind the rack to allow for proper ventilation. Do not obstruct the front or rear of the rack with equipment or objects that might prevent air from flowing through the rack. Rack-mountable servers and equipment typically draw cool air in through the front of the rack and let warm air out the rear of the rack. There is no air flow requirement for the left and right sides due to front-to-back cooling.

Exadata Cloud at Customer systems have been designed to function while mounted in a natural convection air flow. The following requirements must be followed to meet the environmental specification:

  • Ensure there is adequate air flow through the server.

  • Ensure the server has front-to-back cooling. Cool air is drawn in at the front and warm air is let out at the rear.

  • Allow a minimum clearance of 914 mm (36 inches) at the front of the server, and 914 mm (36 inches) at the rear of the server for ventilation.

Use perforated tiles, approximately 400 CFM/tile, in front of the rack for cold air intake. The tiles can be arranged in any order in front of the rack, as long as cold air from the tiles can flow into the rack. Inadequate cold air flow could result in a higher inlet temperature in the servers due to exhaust air recirculation. The following is the recommended number of floor tiles:

  • Four floor tiles for an Exadata Cloud at Customer Full Rack.

  • Three floor tiles for an Exadata Cloud at Customer Half Rack.

  • One floor tile for an Exadata Cloud at Customer Quarter Rack, Eighth Rack or Base System.

The following diagram shows a typical configuration of perforated floor tiles for an Exadata Cloud at Customer Full Rack in a typical data center.

This figure shows the typical data center configuration for perforated floor tiles.

The following table lists the cooling requirement for each Exadata Cloud at Customer X6 rack:

Model (X6) BTU/hr KJ/hr
Eighth Rack

Typical: 7,845 BTU/hr

Maximum: 11,207 BTU/hr

Typical: 8,276 KJ/hr

Maximum: 11,823 KJ/hr
Quarter Rack

Typical: 9,575 BTU/hr

Maximum: 13,679 BTU/hr

Typical: 10,102 KJ/hr

Maximum: 14,432 KJ/hr
Half Rack

Typical: 18,709 BTU/hr

Maximum: 26,727 BTU/hr

Typical: 19,738 KJ/hr

Maximum: 28,197 KJ/hr
Full Rack

Typical: 33,489 BTU/hr

Maximum: 47,842 BTU/hr

Typical: 35,331 KJ/hr

Maximum: 50,473 KJ/hr

The following table lists the cooling requirement for each Exadata Cloud at Customer X7 rack:

Model (X7) BTU/hr KJ/hr
Base System

Typical: 8,467 BTU/hr

Maximum: 12,096 BTU/hr

Typical: 8,933 KJ/hr

Maximum: 12,761 KJ/hr
Quarter Rack

Typical: 10,376 BTU/hr

Maximum: 14,822 BTU/hr

Typical: 10,946 KJ/hr

Maximum: 15,638 KJ/hr
Half Rack

Typical: 20,309 BTU/hr

Maximum: 29,013 BTU/hr

Typical: 21,426 KJ/hr

Maximum: 30,609 KJ/hr
Full Rack

Typical: 36,690 BTU/hr

Maximum: 52,414 BTU/hr

Typical: 38,708 KJ/hr

Maximum: 55,297 KJ/hr